Afterword - Book 4 - Chapter 49 (Patreon)

Chapter 49: Splinters

(Original Chapter Title: Obstreperous)

Just because Ranthia made up her mind doesn't change the situation that she's in. Unfortunately, even if she's done with her nation, her nation isn't done with her.

Paranoia is fun to play with, because it's only paranoia if you're wrong—the future justifies or condemns such actions. Which means time will tell if Ranthia's paranoia was proper or crazy!

As an introvert, I actually can't really think of anything that sounds worse than having to party for three days straight. Like, of everything Ranthia's done and been through, I feel like this might rival some of her closest battles as nightmare fuel. Fortunately, she's built differently than I am; she just feels partied out. And possibly has more alcohol in her bloodstream than she's admitting when it's time for the meeting.

I'll touch on her expectation of peace and her reaction at the end of this chapter briefly, but I'll have more to say in the future too. Here, I think it's valid to say that Ran's being a bit naive with her expectations. I can definitely understand why people can feel that way. But Ranthia's always struggled to understand mindsets that differ from her own (something I didn't really consciously realize until I started getting questions from beta readers and Patreon supporters; heh). She tends to assume everyone shares similar values and beliefs as her and is uncomfortable when she's proven wrong.

And, y'know, it's possible that her views might have shifted even further due to recent events.